Anybody have any personal recommendations on a Merriam hunt? I have a couple suggestions from folks I respect, but I want to make sure I’m not overlooking anything. The state doesn’t matter, but
It would need to be in the early part of May of this year. I know that likely limits us, but that’s where we are. It would be a gift from my wife and me to our son for graduating college. Of course he needs supervision so I’m going too.

Seems like the public land in the Black Hills of S.D. do well, in my area these are mixed breed turkeys, suppose to be part Merriam and part Eastern and some have some Rio in with the Merriams, never have seen one around here with the true white feather tips, all are different shades of a buff color.
Good Luck

I was not his father but he was my son,,MAK IV, 10-15-1993 - 4-22-2007
"Rest in Peace my Little Buddy"

Seems like the public land in the Black Hills of S.D. do well, in my area these are mixed breed turkeys, suppose to be part Merriam and part Eastern and some have some Rio in with the Merriams, never have seen one around here with the true white feather tips, all are different shades of a buff color.
Good Luck

Thanks Grumpy. We would definitely consider a public land hunt if we weren’t squeezed for time. I’m ready to get that boy off of my payroll, we have to get back so he can go to work!

I've posted before. I've killed Merriam on the prairie of Montana, south Dakota, black hills of Wyoming South Dakota...

Some truly isolated areas, I'm not sure a true Merriam exists or we have preconceived notions of what they should look like. A place like the hills I've seen as we call um Cocoa's walking next to whites. Sal killed what if you were using fan color a pure white Merriam in Nebraska a few years ago in a place with easterns.

In all honesty determine what you shoot, look at the nwtf map if that's important and go from there.

I can't really be of any help as I've never hunted Merriams before. I too am going after them this spring and ended up going to be 12miles south of Crawford in western Nebraska. Several places I couldn't get a hold of and ended up at Down Home Guest Ranch House around 1500 private and butted right next to the Nebraska National Forest. I saw one bad review of the place, but decided to roll the dice. Time will tell! I'm also going to Kansas for Rio's and went with Sunflower Outfitters. Heard nothing but good about John and his $ was pretty reasonable and he allows 2 birds for that price. Again Time will tell!

I would suggest western Colorado around Grand Junction or Lasal Mountains in Utah.

Do you have any outfitter/guide suggestions?

No, it is mostly public land on national forest. Just need a map and drive til you see turkeys. I will give you info on where they like to be on lasals and some places to start in Co. If you really want an outfitter, I am sure you can find one.

I would suggest western Colorado around Grand Junction or Lasal Mountains in Utah.

Do you have any outfitter/guide suggestions?

No, it is mostly public land on national forest. Just need a map and drive til you see turkeys. I will give you info on where they like to be on lasals and some places to start in Co. If you really want an outfitter, I am sure you can find one.

My dad and I hunted with Seven J this past spring. You won't be disappointed. Great Hunting, Great Accommodation's, Great Food, Great Owners & Guides. We did two states over 4 days, both tagged out. Wyoming side is both National Forest and Leases and the SD side is Black Hills. You will definitely put miles on the boot leather. We had a fitbit tracking miles, One day was over 10+ miles up and down the hills, needless to say you will work for your birds, but its 100% worth it.

We were there in early May, and we shot two of the birds in the snow and two birds under bright blue skies at 60 degrees. Needless to say, the weather is predictably unpredictable.

I'm doing a 2 bird hunt with Gobble N Grunt in NE this spring. They have enough birds to guarantee shots or you can come back next year. They say only they've only done that once in 16 years. They are heavily booked right now but there are a few slots still open.

Give Shanna and guy a call at center of the nation outfitters.....they border Wyoming and SD....i killed a bird on their property the first morning in Wyoming and the next morning I drove into SD and killed one....
Great people and the price is right....

Give Shanna and guy a call at center of the nation outfitters.....they border Wyoming and SD....i killed a bird on their property the first morning in Wyoming and the next morning I drove into SD and killed one....
Great people and the price is right....

Glad you gave the names "Shanna and Guy" since there appears to be two outfitters using the Center of Nations name. Weird. That is a two day hunt if I'm reading it correctly.

I also hunted with Shanna. They have lots of birds on their Wyoming property but for South Dakota they had lost their spot so I was on my own on public but it wasn't too tough to find birds. Maybe they got some property back on the SD side as I hunted there about 4 years ago. They were good people and went out of their way to try and put me in touch with people that might have birds or know where to try public land. It is also not guided she will show you the property and then you are on your own. It wasn't too tough though and I had to resist just shooting one of the 2 toms that hung around in there yard LOL.

Did you check out SNM turkey hunts. Jim and his son Ryan in New Mexico. If you want to hunt a true wild mountain Merriams they are the place. If you get Ryan to guide you he is like a mountain goat and if you can keep up he sure can locate the birds and the elk sheds LOL.